Wild News

Plays Of The Week: March 28

It’s time once again for Wild fans to decide the DQ Bakes Play of the Week based on three of the best efforts provided by Wild players from recent games. Voting ends Thursday at 6:00 p.m.

The winning vote getter for the week of March 21 was “Dubnyk of Time, beating “Oh So Coyle” by a single vote. Devan Dubnyk played the hero by making a dramatic save with less than one second remaining in overtime against Carolina on March 19. With time winding down Hurricanes forward Elias Lindholm sprinted up the ice, and was disrupted by Mikko Koivu, but recovered with a nice spin move to get a backhand shot away. Dubnyk sprawled out and made the game saving stop from his right side, protecting the net with his stick and blocker pad.

This week’s nominees are:

PLAY #1King Me (March 22, 2016 vs. LAK)Devan Dubnyk had a great week including solid performances against the Kings and the Avalanche. It's a combination of his saves being called out this week, with none more memorable than his sprawling saves in a single sequence against Los Angeles. After the Wild failed to clear the zone, the Kings Tyler Toffoli quickly rifled a shot towards the net that Kings forward Nik Dowd tried to tip in. Dubnyk blocked the shot, but Kings forward Nick Shore was there for the rebound. Dubnyk sprawled across the ice, keeping the puck out of the net, but lost his stick in the process. Dubnyk was able to get onto all fours as the puck trickled back out. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty took one last shot, but was stopped when Dubnyk launched himself out of the crease and onto the puck.

PLAY #2Parise Hatty (March 24, 2016 vs. CGY)Zach Parise broke a scoring drought in true Parise-fashion, with a first-period hat trick against Calgary on March 24. After scoring two goals at 5:21 and 6:07 of the first, Parise planted himself in front of the net during a Wild power play. Mikko Koivu skated the puck out to the blue line and fed the puck to Ryan Suter who shot towards a waiting Parise. With a quick flick of his wrist, Parise deflected the puck out of the air and behind former teammate Niklas Backstrom to earn his third hat trick of the season.

PLAY #3Nifty Nino (March 24, 2016 vs. CGY)After winning a battle along the boards, Nino Niederreiter knocked the puck loose and linemate Erik Haula circled around to gain possession of the puck. Haula passed the puck to Jason Pominville who was waiting in the circle. Free from his scrum along the boards, Niederreiter streaked for the net, receiving a quick feed from Pominville, and chipped the puck over the shoulder of Calgary goalie Niklas Backstrom.